Taiwan’s President William Lai has vocally opposed China’s newly enacted Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, asserting that Taiwan will not succumb to what he described as “red terror” or any efforts by Beijing to expand its influence over the island. Addressing the Democratic Progressive Party’s Central Executive Committee, Lai criticized the legislation as an extension of China’s authoritarian policies, which he claims poses a threat beyond its own borders. He committed to bolstering Taiwan’s defenses to protect its citizens and national interests from escalating political pressures from China.
The controversial law, which was passed by China’s National People’s Congress in March and has now come into effect, mandates that Chinese citizens endorse national unification. It grants authorities the power to hold individuals or organizations accountable for actions that could be deemed detrimental to ethnic unity or supportive of ethnic division, despite lacking specific definitions for such offenses. Critics in Taiwan have expressed concerns that the law is an attempt to strengthen the perception of Taiwanese people as part of a broader Chinese national identity.
Lai has cautioned that the legislation might be utilized to legitimize cross-border enforcement, potentially intensifying pressure on individuals and entities outside of mainland China. He highlighted that Beijing has already executed over 110 cases of cross-border pressure targeting Taiwan, and warned of the possibility of these actions extending further. According to him, foreign governments, businesses, lawmakers, civil society groups, and individuals could also be subject to arbitrary measures under this law’s expansive reach.
In response to these challenges, Taiwan’s government is planning to enhance its monitoring systems, refine early warning mechanisms, and reassess policies to shield its citizens from external interferences. Lai also revealed intentions to broaden media literacy initiatives, improve civil servant training, and develop more robust prevention and response systems to counter what he perceives as Beijing’s expanding cross-border repression campaign. Taiwan will continue to collaborate with democratic partners to elevate global awareness regarding human rights issues and uphold its sovereignty.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has echoed President Lai’s concerns, labeling the legislation as another strategy by Beijing to extend its legal reach internationally, contravening global norms and human rights standards. The ministry argued that the ambiguous wording of the law could lead to self-censorship and create uncertainty for those fearing retribution. The legislation has faced international criticism from several actors, including the United States, Japan, the European Union, the United Nations, and Amnesty International, who have raised alarms about its potential ramifications on human rights, legal clarity, and freedom of expression.